10 Books Every Woman Should Read About Following Your Passion
Always wanted to follow your passion but didn’t know where or how to begin?
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “You are what you eat”.
I believe that goes for your mind and soul as well.
And one of the ways to feed them is by reading.
A great fiction book can sooth the psyche and give you an emotional vacation.
But we need to supply our minds with a balanced diet.
Here are ten books I would use to feed every woman’s mind and soul, and hopefully, help you follow your passion, too.
Books For Women About Life, Purpose and Love
1. Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, Your Message by Tara Mohr
This book isn’t just for corporate women.
It’s for every woman who wants to “play bigger” in her own life.
That could mean in her career, her community or even at home.
Tara points out how some of the things we thought made us better are actually holding us back.
For me, the “Big Aha’s” came in the chapters around leaving good-student habits behind and unhooking from praise and criticism.
There is definitely something in here for every woman.
Tara provides great direction for moving forward to help you follow your passion.
2. The Desire Map: A Guide to Creating Goals with Soul by Danielle LaPorte
Everything is different about this book from the format it’s written in, to the ideas and plans it delivers.
Danielle LaPorte takes goal setting/life planning and turns it on its head.
Why do we set goals?
Is it really the goal we want or the feeling we think it will bring into being?
Is it a goal YOU DESIRE or is it something you think you should do?
Danielle provides a great framework for understanding your Core Desired Feelings (CDFs) and lays the groundwork for you to make a plan and achieve the goal of living your CDFs more often.
This way of living has even evolved into workshops to support the process.
3. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray, Ph.D.
Eye opening book that helps the genders think and see things differently.
I read this book in my Managerial Psychology class at UVa.
It sparked great conversation on how men and women could improve their working relationships.
For Christmas that year, I bought a copy for my boyfriend and it really helped our communication.
This, and many of the other books listed here, give a common language to help people communicate better.
4. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
Good habits, bad habits, we all have habits – those things we do without being aware we are even doing them.
Many serve us well, while others cause us pain and heartache.
This book provides an easy-to-understand explanation of why habits exist and how they can be changed.
Understanding the habit loop is empowering.
5. The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity by Catherine Ponder
Yes, this book was originally written in 1962, but don’t let that fool you – it’s as relevant as ever.
Two of the biggest takeaways for me are that we are meant to live an abundant life, attracting all that is good towards us, and someone else attracting good things doesn’t take anything away from me.
Great inspirational read.
6. Rise Above: How One Man’s Search for Mobility Helped the World Get Moving by Ralph W. Braun
This is a truly inspiring book about a man who was told at six he wouldn’t see his 13th birthday.
He used that death sentence to propel himself forward at full steam.
After he lost the use of his legs and began using a wheelchair, he invented a motorized scooter so he could keep his job.
Every time his mobility “issues” raised a potential setback, he invented a new way to outsmart them.
He created an amazing company, BraunAbility, to bring independence and mobility to so many people.
Ralph created a company with a culture that has continued beyond his death.
I recently toured the BraunAbility plan in Winamac, Indiana and witnessed with awe the amazing legacy this man has left behind.
7. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown
Everywhere we look we see signs telling us who we should be and make us embarrassed of who we are.
Brene Brown developed ten guideposts to help us cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection to embrace the theme “I Am Enough”, which is similar to Danielle LaPorte’s “You Are Worthy”.
We as women must learn to love ourselves for our imperfections – not because of them.
8. Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance by Jonathan Fields
I must admit, Jonathan is a friend of mine, but I didn’t meet him before I fell in love with his book.
I met him because I fell in love with his book.
Our natural tendency is to move away from fear, doubt and uncertainty.
This can be a good thing, but it can also be a great thing to know when and how to take the fear and doubt and use it to your advantage.
This book is a great read to show you how to perform that alchemy and help you follow your passion.
9. Any Nancy Drew Book
Seriously.
I remember checking out the Nancy Drew books from the library when I was in elementary school.
Reading those books trains your brain to be curious and look at the world slightly differently.
The results are amazing.
10. Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Good fences make great neighbors.
Why is that?
Will it work in relationships?
Women are too often afraid to say NO.
Afraid it will make them look like a bitch or not a team player.
In reality, we train others how to treat us.
If we train them that we will always roll over, it doesn’t serve anyone, least of all ourselves.
Cloud and Townsend tackle all sorts of boundaries that help create better relationships: physical boundaries (who may touch us), mental boundaries (freedom to have our own thoughts/opinions), emotional boundaries (disengage from emotions of others), and spiritual boundaries (help us distinguish between our own will that of our higher power).
I think this should be required reading for girls in high school.
Which book would you read first to help you follow your passion?
No matter what you choose, this is a wonderful collection of books to add your library.
Read them whenever you want to improve yourself, gain a new insight, or to remind yourself on how follow your passion.
